Wire-fence-stretching apparatus



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This invention relates to means adapted Patented May 20, 1924.

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Appl ication'filed April 20, 1923. Serial No. 633,438.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, THOMAS J. IIUDSPETH, a citizen ofthe United States,residing in the city of Phoenix, county of Maricopa, and State ofArizona, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wire-Fence-Stretching Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to beefull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art make anduse the for use in connection with theerection of wire fences, and morespecifically to mechanism whereby thefence wire is clamped and held against the fence post, while beingsecured in position. e

In the erection of fences where the barrier is formed of mesh wiresecured to posts, it has always been a diflicult operation to connectthe wires to the supporting post while, at the same time, retaining thewires under sufficient tension to keep them sufficiently straight afterconnection, whereby to not only present a neat appearance, but to resultin the conservation 'of considerable material.

The object of my invention, therefore,-is the provision of means wherebythe abovereferred to purpose may be easily carried out with a minimum oflabor and a maximum of efficiency, and, at the same time takingout theundesirable curvature which is present in the wire because of the factthat it is [wound in the rolled condition in which it is vended. 1

Other objects of this invention will be made apparent in the followingspecification, when read in connectionwith the accompanying drawingswhich form a part thereof. a

In said drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fence being constructed by theutilization of my devices,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top viewof the construction shown in Fig. 1, andI Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of one of the clamping members.

It is the customary practice to vend mesh wire fencing in large rollswhich are taken to the scene of operation and the fence sections arethen taken off as desired. One end of the wire on the roll is secured toa post, and the roll'is usually carried past three or four posts and, inposition to be affixed to the posts, is then stretched before'beingsecured in position. This stretching operatlon 1s necessary,no't= onlyfor the purpose of keeplng straight the longitudinal strands of thewire, but also for thepurpose of taking out the curvature or kinkscaused by the wire being left for some time in rolled condition. a

Referring specifically to the "drawings,

vice as comprised in my invention, let it be assumed that the wire 1 hasalready been se-f cured to a post, and it is desired to secure it, 1.11proper and straightened condition, to the posts A, B, C and D.Underthese circumis positioned adjacent to roll E, and approxi matelyinparallelism therewith, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the shaperQbeingplaced in a reverse loop 3 formediin the wire 1, it being notedthatthe curvature of thewire in showing themethod 'ofutilization' ofthedei the loop 3, where it surrounds the shaper 2,

isdirectly opposed to the curvature of said,

wire as it is wound upon th roll E,

The clamping stave 4, of any desired'material, and preferably of roundedcontour, is

positioned between the roll E and the shaper I 2 and, as shown in thedrawings, at the rear of the section of wire extending between theshaper 2 and the roll E. The stave 4.- is preferably provided with aplurality of aligned apertures 5, 5, and with a rear backs ing plate 6,shaped to the contour of the rear 1 face thereof. Secured to the stave 4is a hookmember 7, here shown "as bifurcated, the two legs 8, 8 thereofextending through the apertures 5 in the stave and being screwthreadedto receive the nuts 9, 9 which hold them in position.

To the post A is secured a draft mechanism, preferably carrying a chain10, 'connected to the hook 7 This mechanism may beiof any suitableconstruction, but is here shown as comprising achain pulley ll, uponwhich the chain 10 is wound, and a ratchet 12, adapted for actuation bya hand lever 13, 1

to tighten the chainlO, in a manner which I will be clearly understood.A. link 14, is

secured to the chain 15, which surrounds the;

post A. i y a lVith the device inposition, as shown in Figs. 1, and 2,it is obvious that a proper manipulation ofthe lever 13 willservetureyzcaused; by the'wire having remained forfsome, time in the roll E.

"is. then free 'to manipulate the lever 1-3.

.mrhne the wire 1 is stretched and straightene das. above described, andheldin position,- the-sections are then secured to the posts 13,: C, andD by. staples, or in any other suitable or convenient .manner, andthewire between the posts will be found to be perfectly straight, .withthe undesirable bulge eliminated. Obviously the same process'is carriedout with other posts, until the fence is completed. I

it material advantage incident to the use ,of' myinvention is that onlyone operator is necessary in the whole operation, as will be-clearlyapparent. The roll E, after the sh'aper' 2 and the stave 42 have beenplaced in' positioni and. connected tothe chain 10, will beselfsuppor-ting, and the operatdr L.S soon as the necessary tightness ofthe chain 10 has been attained, the operator secures the wire lto theposts B, C and D. the ratchet'lQ meanwhile holding theinstrunientalities in operating position. In this man her, after one endof the wirefabric is firmly secured to aproperly braced, post. therollBE maybe led past a sufficient numherofyposts to unwindapproximately forty rods of the fabric, the fabric then clamped at .theotherwise unattached end as described, andthen secured to the-posts.

Obviouslyany suitable method for con necting the stave to the draftmechanism may be employedv and I am not limited to the .mebodimentherein shown, nor to any other modification falling within the scopeoffthe appended claims. i I claim, I

[1. A stretching mechanism for wire fabrics secured at one end and beingdelivered from a roll, comprising a sharper positioned in a loop betweenthe roll and the end of the fabric, a stave positioned between the rolland the slraper and bearing against the fabric the'rebetween, and meansfor .drawing'the stave against thebody of the fabric, substantially asdescribed.

2. In combination with the wire fence fabric wound upon a roll andsecured at loop formed .in'the body: oft-the fabric, a stave positioned.betweenthe ,roll and vShaper I and bearing against the section of thefabric connecting the roll; and the shaper, and

means for pulling'the stave toward such shaper and toward the body ofthe fabric, substantially as described.

In combination with a wire fence fabric wound upon a roll and secured atone end, a sh'aper mounted adjacent the roll and having the. fabricwound therearound, in a directlon opposite to the wind of the fabricupon the roll, a stave mounted between the roll andshaper and behind-thefabric connecting the roll and shaper, and meansfor drawingthestavetoward the shaper and toward the main body of the fabric, substantially as described.

e. In combinationwith a wire fence fabric wound upon a rolland securedat one-end, a shaper mounted adjacent the roll and having the fabricwound therearound in a di rection opposite to the wind of the fabricuponthe roll, a stave mounted between the roll and shaper and behind thefabric connecting the roll and shaper, and means for drawing the stavetoward the shaper and toward the mainbody of the fabric, said on theroll, a stave mounted between the roll and shaper and behind the fabricconnecting the roll and shaper, and a draft device secured to said staveand. adapted to draw it towards said shaper, substantially as described.I I

6. In combination with a wire fence fabric wound "upon; a roll and;secured at one end, a shaper mounted adjacent the roll and having thefabric wound thereon in. a. direction opposite to the wind of the fabricupon the roll, a stave mounted between the roll and sha per, and a draftdevice secured to said stave and adapted to draw it towards said shaper,said device comprising a-chain secured to saidst-ave, a chain pulleymounted on a" rigid support in alignment with the body of the fabric andengaging said chain, and means for rotating said pulley to wind up saidchain. substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix mysignature.

' THOMAS J. HUDSPETH.

